Supporting roller assembly for a sliding panel

ABSTRACT

A SUPPORTING ROLLER ASSEMBLY FOR A SLIDING PANEL, SUCH AS A SLIDING SCREEN DOOR, MOVABLE ALONG A TRACK AND HAVING AN EDGE SURFACE FACING THE TRACK. THE ROLLER ASSEMBLY INCLUDES A SPRING BIASED ROCKER ARM HAVING A ROUNDED SEATING EDGE SEATING AGAINST THE PANEL EDGE SURFACE, A TRACK ENGAGING ROLLER ON THE ARM ADJACENT ONE END OF ITS SEATING EDGE, AND ATTACHMENT MEANS PIVOTALLY SECURED TO THE ARM ADJACENT THE OTHER END OF THE SEATING EDGE FOR SECURING THE ARM TO THE PANEL AND ADJUSTING THE ARM TO SHIFT THE POINT OF CONTACT OF ITS SEATING EDGE WITH THE PANEL EDGE SURFACE IN A DIRECTION ALONG THE SEATING EDGE, THUS TO ADJUST THE ROLLER TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE PANEL EDGE SURFACE.

Oct. 19, 1971 B.J. HELMICK 3,613,313

SUPPORTING ROLLER ASSEMBLY FOR A SLIDING PANEL Filed May 15, 1970 Era-L 10/ FZ'6.3.

I /N!/EN 779R 5. J. HELM/CK Y w W ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,613,313 SUPPORTING ROLLER ASSEMBLY FOR A SLIDING PANEL B. J. Helmick, 303 Deborah Court,

Upland, Calif. 91786 Filed May 13, 1970, Ser. No. 36,915

Int. Cl. E0511 13/02 US. Cl. 49-420 13 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A supporting roller assembly for a sliding panel, such as a sliding screen door, movable along a track and having an edge surface facing the track. The roller assembly includes a spring biased rocker arm having a rounded seating edge seating against the panel edge surface, a track engaging roller on the arm adjacent one end of its seating edge, and attachment means pivotally secured to the arm adjacent the other end of the seating edge for securing the arm to the panel and adjusting the arm to shift the point of contact of its seating edge with the panel edge surface in a direction along the seating edge, thus to adjust the roller toward and away from the panel edge surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates generally to closures of the class which comprise a sliding closure panel, such as a door or window, movable along a supporting track. The invention relates more particularly to a novel adjustable springloaded supporting roller assembly for such panels.

Prior art Closures of the class to which this invention pertains are well known in the art and are widely used in a variety of building structures. Generally speaking, such a closure comprises a stationary metal rectangular frame to be fixed within a door or window opening in a wall, and at least a pair of relatively movable closure panels mounted within the frame. One of these panels is a fixed panel which is securely fastened to the frame and occupies a portion only of the frame so as to define with the frame an access opening through the frame. The other panel is a movable panel which is supported on the frame for movement between an open position, wherein the movable panel is located at one side of the fixed panel to uncover the access opening, and a closed position, wherein the movable panel is extended across and closes the access opening. To this end, the movable panel is provided with a number, typically 2, of supporting roller assemblies along the lower edge of the panel. These roller assemblies include circumferentially grooved supporting rollers which ride on a supporting track extending along the lower horizontal member of the closure frame. The upper edge of the movable panel is guided in the frame in various ways, as by providing the upper panel edge with a groove 01' channel for slidably receiving a rib along the upper horizontal member of the frame.

The movable panel is commonly installed in the closure frame in such a Way that the panel is capable of limited vertical floating movement relative to the frame. This floating movement assures maximum freedom of panel movement between its open and closed positions and permits the panel to be conveniently removed from and replaced in the frames by first elevating the panel to disengage its supporting rollers from the frame track. However, this capability of vertical floating movement of the panel introduces a problem in that it tends to permit accidental disengagement of the panel rollers from the 3,613,313 Patented Oct. 19, 1971 frame track. For example, when opening or closing the movable panel, the latter may be inadvertently raised in a manner which tends to disengage the rollers from the track. In order to prevent such inadvertent disengagement of the rollers, the latter commonly spring loaded into engagement with the track. As a consequence, the rollers remain in contact with the track at all times, even though the movable panel is inadvertently raised slightly. The roller biasing springs are relatively weak and serve merely to urge the rollers toward the track and not transmit vertical loads between the rollers and the panel. These vertical loads are transmitted by roller positioning members or stops which limit deflection of the rollers toward the panels against spring action. Generally, these roller p sitioning stops are adjustable to permit adjustment of the limiting positions of the supporting rollers relative to the panel.

A wide variety of spring-loaded supporting roller assemblies for the purpose described have been devised. Representative of such roller assemblies are those disclosed in the following prior art patents: 3,044,391; 3,090,084; 3,120,033; 3,175,255; 3,283,444; 3,284,953.

These existing roller assemblies, however, are char acterized by certain deficiencies, notably relatively great complexity, high cost of manufacture, difiiculty of adjustment, and poor load carrying capability.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The improved supporting roller assembly of the invention has a rocker arm with a rounded seating edge which seats against an edge surface of the sliding panel facing the panel track. A track engaging roller is mounted on this arm adjacent one end of its seating edge. The rocker arm is secured to the panel by attachment means pivotally joined to the arm on a pivot axis adjacent the other end of the seating surface. The rocker arm mounts a spring for urging the arm on its pivot axis outwardly away from the panel edge surface and toward the panel track.

In the case of a bottom roller assembly along the lower edge of the sliding panel, the weight of the panel normally retains the rocker arm seating edge in firm seating contact with the panel edge surface. The assembly roller projects beyond the edge of the panel for rolling engagement with the panel track, thus to support the panel for sliding or rolling movement along the track. The same applies to an upper roller assembly along the top edge of the panel except that the assembly spring may or may not retain the rocker arm seating edge out of seating contact with the upper panel edge surface, depending upon the adjustment of the upper and lower roller assemblies.

This adjustment of the roller assemblies constitutes an important feature of the invention. Thus, the rocker arm attachment means is adjustable to adjust the rocker arm pivot axis toward and away from the panel edge surface engaged by the rocker arm seating edge. Such adjustment shifts the point of contact of the seating edge with the panel edge surface in a direction along the seating edge and thereby adjusts the arm roller toward and away from the panel edge surface. Accordingly, the adjustment is effective to adjust the amount of projection of the roller beyond the panel edge for proper engagement of the roller with the panel track.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates-a sliding panel installation, in this instance a sliding screen door installation, equipped with supporting roller assemblies according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section through a 0 sliding screen door illustrating a present roller assembly;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line 33 in FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 in FIG. 2;

FIG. is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating the roller assembly in another position of adjustment; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a roller assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODlMENT FIG. 1 of these drawings illustrates a closure it! of the kind to which this invention pertains. In this instance, the closure is a sliding screen door assembly including an outer rectangular frame 12 containing a fixed screen panel 14 and a movable screen panel 16. The fixed panel 14 is securely fastened in any convenient way to the frame 12. This panel occupies a portion of the frame only, whereby the right-hand side of the panel and the righthand side of the frame, in FIG. 1, define thercbetwecn an access opening. The movable panel 16 is movable between its closed position of FIG. 1, wherein the panel extends across and closes the access opening through the frame 12, and an open position (not shown), wherein the movable panel is located at one side of the fixed panel and uncovers the access opening. Along the lower edge of the movable panel 16 are a pair of roller assemblies 18 according to the invention for movably supporting the panel on a track 20 extending along the lower member 22 of the closure frame 12.

The primary contribution of the present invention resides in the unique arrangement and construction of the supporting roller assemblies 18. These roller assemblies are essentially identical so that a description of one assembly will suffice for both. Referring particularly to FIGS. 26, the roller assembly 18 comprises a rocker arm 24 having a rounded seating edge 26. The illustrated rocker arm is fashioned from sheet metal and is bent to a channel shape providing spaced side plates 28 joined along one edge by a connecting wall 30. The edge surfaces of the arm side plates 28 remote from the connecting wall 30 are rounded and together constitute the rounded seating edge 26 of the rocker arm 24. As may be best observed in FIGS. 2 and 5, the rounded seating edge is substantially a semi-circular edge generated about an axis 32 of curvature normal to the rocker arm 24, i.e., normal to its side plates 28. The ends of the seating edge are situated at opposite sides of the axis 32. Projecting from the side plates 28 adjacent one end of the seating edge are a pair of rocker arm extensions 34.

Positioned between the rocker arm extensions 34 is a roller 36 for engaging the track 20. Roller 36 has an axle 38 supported in the arm extensions 34. About the circumference of the roller is a groove 40 in which the track 20 engages.

The lower panel frame member 22 has a channel 42 opening toward the panel track 20. Channel 42 is bounded along its upper side by a wall 44 having a lower seating surface 46 and along the vertical sides by a pair of spaced side walls 48. Extending between these side walls are bottom walls 50 with an intervening opening 52. Above the upper frame wall 44 is a flange 54.

The present roller assembly 18 is positioned within the panel frame channel 42 with the side plates 28 of the assembly rocker arm 24 seating slidably against the frame side walls 48. The rounded seating edge 26 of the rocker arm seats against the panel frame seating surface 46. As shown best in FIGS. 2 and 5, the assembly roller 36 projects through the panel frame opening 52 to engage the panel track 20 in such a way that the track engages in the roller groove 40.

Roller assembly 18 is secured to the upper panel frame wall 44 and flange 54 by attachment means 56. Attachment means 56 includes a huge plate 58, one edge of which is positioned between the rocker arm side plates 28 at the end of the rounded seating surface 26 opposite the roller 36. Hinge plate 58 is hinged along this edge to the side plates by pivot means 60. Threaded in the outer end of the hinge plate 58 is a screw 62 which passes through holes in the upper panel frame wall 44 and flange ill) 54. The head of the screw seats against the upper side of the flange so as to be exposed for rotation by a screwdriver.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 5, it will be observed that the upward reaction load on the roller 36 tends to rock the rocker arm 24 counterclockwise, as viewed in the drawings, on its upper seating edge 26 as a fulcrum and thereby exert a downward force on the hinge plate 58 and screw 62. This downward force presses the screw head downwardly into seating contact with the upper panel frame flange 54 to position the roller assembly, as shown. Adjustment of the screw 62 effects vertical adjustment of the hinge plate 58 and resultant angular adjustment of the rocker arm 24 on its upper seating edge 26. During this adjustment of the rocker arm, the point, or more accurately, the points of contact of its seating edge 26 with the upper frame wall 44 are shifted in the endwise direction of the seating edge in a manner such that the edge effectively rolls on the frame wall seating surface 46. It will be observed that the above described rocker arm adjustment is effective to vertically adjust the roller 36 relative to the closure panel.

The roller assembly 18 is completed by a spring 64 which urges the rocker arm 24 and its roller 36 outwardly or downwardly toward the track 20. The particular spring illustrated is an arcuate leaf spring, one end of which extends between the rocker arm side plates 28 and is secured by a fastener 66 to the rocker arm connecting wall 30. The opposite end of the spring curves outwardly toward the roller 36. When the roller assembly is installed in the panel frame channel 42, the spring bears against the frame seating surface 46.

In the case of the lower roller assembly 18 shown, the weight of the closure panel normally retains the rocker arm seating edge 26 in seating contact with the panel frame seating surface 46 against the action of the spring, as shown. However, if the panel is raised slightly or if a dip exists in the track 20, the spring retains the roller 36 in contact with the track. The same applies to an upper roller assembly 18. In this case, however, the rocker arm seating edge 26 may not always contact the frame seating surface 46.

What is claimed as new in support of Letters Patent is:

1. A supporting roller assembly for a sliding panel movable along a track and having an edge surface facing said track, comprising:

a rocker arm having a rounded seating edge generated about an axis of curvature normal to said arm and terminating at ends situated at opposite sides of said axis,

a track engaging roller mounted on said arm adjacent an end of said seating edge on a rotation axis parallel to said axis of curvature, and

attachment means pivotally secured to said arm on a pivot axis adjacent the other end of said seating edge and parallel to said axis of curvature for attaching said arm to said panel with said seating edge in seating contact with said panel edge surface and adjusting said pivot axis toward and away from said panel edge surface to shift the point of contact of said seating edge with said panel edge surface in a direction along said seating edge and thereby adjustsaid roller toward and away from said panel edge surface.

2. A supporting roller assembly according to claim 1 including:

a spring fixed to said arm in a position to seat against said panel edge surface for urging said arm away from said panel edge surface about said pivot axis.

3. A supporting roller assembly according to claim 1 wherein:

said attachment means comprises a hinge plate hinged along one edge to said arm on said pivot axis, and a screw threaded in said plate.

4. A supporting roller assembly according to claim 1 wherein:

said arm includes spaced parallel side plates having rounded edge surfaces providing said seating edge and arm extensions projecting edgewise from said plates adjacent said one end of said seating edge, and

said arm extensions straddle and rotatably support said roller.

5. A supporting roller assembly according to claim 4 wherein:

said attachment means comprises a hinge plate projecting edgewise between said arm side plates and hinged along one edge to said side plates on said pivot axis and a screw threaded in said hinge plate.

6. A supporting roller assembly according to claim 5 including:

an arcuate leaf spring having one end fixed between said arm side plates and its opposite end extending outwardly beyond said side plate edge surfaces in curving relation over said roller for seating against said panel edge surface to urge said arm away from said panel edge surface about said pivot axis.

7. In combination with a sliding panel movable along a track and having an edge surface facing said track, a supporting roller assembly comprising:

a rocker arm having a rounded seating edge generated about an axis of curvature normal to said arm and terminating at ends situated at opposite sides of said axis,

a track engaging roller mounted on said arm adjacent an end of said seating edge on a rotation axis parallel to said axis of curvature, and

attachment means pivotally secured to said arm on a pivot axis adjacent the other end of said seating edge and parallel to said axis of curvature for attaching said arm to said panelwith said seating edge in seating contact with said panel edge surface and adjusting said pivot axis toward and away from said panel edge surface to shift the point of contact of said seating edge with said panel edge surface in a direction along said seating edge and thereby adjust ing said roller toward and away from said panel edge surface.

8. The combination according to claim 7 including:

a spring fixed to said arm and seating against said panel edge surface for urging said arm away from said panel edge surface about said pivot axis.

9. The combination according to claim 7 wherein;

said attachment means comprises a hinge plate generally parallel to said panel edge surface and hinged along one edge to said arm on said pivot axis and a screw connecting said panel and hinge plate for adjusting said plate toward and away from said panel edge surface.

10. The combination according to claim 7 wherein:

said arm includes spaced parallel side plates having rounded edge surfaces providing said seating edge and arm extensions projecting edgewise from said plates adjacent said one end of said seating edge, and

said arm extensions straddle and rotatably support said roller.

11. The combination according to claim 10 wherein:

said attachment means comprises a hinge plate projecting edgewise between said arm side plates generally parallel to said panel edge surface and hinged along one edge to said side plates on said pivot axis, and a screw connecting said panel and hinge plate for adjusting said hinge plate toward and away from said panel edge surface.

12. The combination according to claim 11 including:

an arcuate leaf spring having one end fixed between said arm side plates and its opposite end extending outwardly beyond said side plate edge surfaces in curving relation over said roller for seating against said panel edge surface to urge said arm away from said panel edge surface about said pivot axis.

13. The combination according to claim 12 wherein:

said panel has an edge frame including spaced flanges defining an intervening edge channel receiving said roller assembly and opening toward said track for engagement of said roller with said track.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,225,393 l2/l965 Coller 49-420 X 3,283,444 11/1966 Andres 49-420 3,299,575 1/ 1967 D11 Shane 49-420 3,443,340 5/1969 Helmick et a1 49-420 3,526,995 9/1970 Saunders 16-91 X J. KARL BELL, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 16-91 

